Any way you look at it, Peter Facinelli has a vested interest in protecting the environment. As parents of three young children, he and his wife, actress Jennie Garth, are determined to teach by example and leave the world a better place than they found it. Plus, his character in theTwilight films, an immortal patriarch of a coven of vampires, was around to witness the Industrial Revolution and has a more permanent residency on this planet (which raises the question of why we don't see more vampire environmental activists).
This October, the 36-year-old has teamed up with MasterCard and the Home Depot to tout the benefits of ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances, which set the international standard for energy efficiency. Not only will families living in ES homes collectively save more than $270 million on utility bills this year, they will also avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 370,000 vehicles. In a celebration of homes yet to be built, for every qualified appliance purchased in October with a MasterCard, 10 percent of the purchase will be donated toHabitat for Humanity.
The actor, who also stars on the critically acclaimed Showtime drama Nurse Jackie and is in the process of building his own green home, talks to Tonic about not just getting off, but giving back to, "the grid," why he's more concerned about vampire chargers than actual bloodsuckers and why sometimes the simplest advice is the best advice.
How are you making this cause personal?
I'm trying my best to lead by example. My wife and I purchased 15 acres, and we're going to build a green home from the ground up. I would like to be off the grid, not just off, but giving back to the grid. We have a green architect, and we're looking at solar panels and wind turbines — even how your house is constructed to conserve energy as well.
What do you think is the most misunderstood aspect of being green?
It's still a learning process for me, but one thing that I'm learning is that it's actually easier than you think. You don't have to destroy your house and rebuild it from the ground up (like Facinelli); there are a lot of simple things that you can do, like changing light bulbs, unplugging power adapters or battery chargers when they're not being used, or doing your wash in cold water instead of hot water. Every little bit helps in the long run, and people should understand that all of these things not only conserve energy, but they save them money as well.
Is this the cause that is nearest and dearest to your heart?
I've actually done a lot with Cookies for Kids' Cancer, which is an organization and a cause that is very important to me, but I look at my kids' future and I think that we have to do something. I'm inspired by the everyday news about water shortages or catastrophic oil spills and energy shortages. It's easy to sit back and expect someone else to fix it, but I felt like it had to start with myself and my family making fundamental changes in the way that we lived. Like I said, if everyone did just a little it would lead to big things happening.
Do you still have any guilty eco-offenses?
(laughs) I'm learning like everyone else, so I'm not claiming to be Ed Begley Jr. but the more that I learn, the more that I do. When I learn something, I try to pass it on.
Is there an activist or philanthropist that inspires you?
Paul Newman has always inspired me. I've always thought that he was a fine actor, a fine gentleman and a great philanthropist. He was my inspiration to become an actor, and I just love what he did and the way that he gave back.
What's the best advice you've ever received?
"Always take Fountain" (laughs). It's the one road in Los Angeles that doesn't have a lot of traffic on it.
Name one thing that's on your bucket list?
(laughs) I'd love to be around long enough to see my three little girls get married.
Tonic
xoxo
Carrie
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